Drifting Cloud, Silent Darkness Arc (1963)
The Drifting Cloud, Silent Darkness Arc (1963) '''is the first story arc of the original B.R.D indie manga series. The Arc is split into thirds with each of the three volumes being separate stories. It is a pure introductory arc. * '''Volume 1: '''This volume begins an unspecified thousands of years prior to the story. It explains to the reader the history of the B.R.D universe stating that the world used to be abundant with magic and it was normal for people to use it. However, one day a gene preventing it's host from using magic developed in the human body and spread like wildfire. Hundreds of years passed and only a handful of people remained who were able to use it. These remaining (known) 10 Magic Casters banded together and formed The Guild where they performed everything from construction, to repair, to mercenary work, to fighting off rouge Casters, among others. Those who could not use magic grew fearful. In a preemptive strike they armed themselves and attacked The Guild. The Casters inside didn't want to hurt those that they sought to protect so they unanimously decided to seal their powers away in The Beacon before facing their mob and allowing themselves to be killed. Their bodies, The Guild, The Town. It was all burned to the ground. * '''Volume 2: Fifty years prior to the actual story, the current story skips ahead to two friends: Grandfather Wallace and Granddaddy Salverson. Against the wishes of the authorities, they slip passed barricades and go exploring in the newly discovered ruins. Messing around they fall through the ground and happen upon what used to be The Guild's basement. They wonder deep in to the tunnels excited for the possibility of fame or fortune where they stumble upon The Beacon. They play Rock-Paper-Scissors over who get's to keep it and Salverson one. However, Wallace never loses even when he lost so it was decided that he would get it. Wallace steps up and grabs it resulting in it exploding. The magic which had been sealed within releases with most of it absorbing into Wallace and Salverson while the rest of it collapses the ceiling above them and escapes outside. The two later wake up completely submerged in the rubble but alive and accidentally activate magic blasting the rubble off of them. Each of them had resparked legendary, old bloodlines of magic used in The Old Kingdom. Wallace, the Blood of Destruction. Salverson, the Blood of The Great Wall. * Volume 3: Finally, in the present day of the story, the volume introduces main characters Blaze Wallace and Andy Salverson going about their daily life. Blaze is seen working his job at the local Droger while Andy is shown hanging out with Lucas and Sean at his house. Carson is introduced with his friend Caleb drinking alcohol together and are seen falling off a roof. Overall, this volume is very lighthearted and appears to be a slice of life up until the end. In the final chapter, Hayden kicks in Andy's door and rushes in informing everyone that Steven has been kidnapped and insists that they need to go rescue him. Andy is clearly aggravated and expresses disappointment that he just rescued Steven from a kidnapper that morning for the third time that week. Andy, Lucas, and Sean discuss rescuing him again but decide not to only to set out anyway after Hayden offers to buy them a pizza. At the end of the day, the group isn't able to track Steven down so they give up having spent the last 27 minutes searching and they each go home. The volume ends with Steven waking up in his bed having not been kidnapped at all. He sits up, looks around, then goes back to sleep. Author's Notes: * Volume 1: "Finally! This was a major pain to get published but I finally did it. I would like to thank absolutely no one as I did everything myself even though I have two broken arms and had to write this with my teeth." * Volume 2: '''note included * '''Volume 3: "Man, i'm glad I sold my neighbors son in order to finance this series! ...You're not writing this down, are you?" Trivia: * Many fans criticized this arc and manga as a whole for taking two entire volumes to both get to the present day story and introduce the main characters Blaze and Andy. * While those who can not use magic are referred to as "Nulls" in B.R.D, this term did not exist in the series until volume 17. * It is never revealed if Hayden truly believed Steven was kidnapped or just made the incident up. Category:Story Arcs